Earth-working machines, such as hydraulic excavators, cable shovels, wheel loaders, and front shovels, include ground engaging work tools that dig into and/or move a variety of earthen materials. These work tools often have one or more cutting tools or tooth assemblies mounted to an edge of the work tool, for example, to a lip of a bucket. The exposed portions of the work tool edge between adjacent tooth assemblies come into contact with the ground or earthen materials and are subjected to extreme abrasion and impacts that cause them to wear. To prolong the useful life of the work tools, shrouds are attached to the work tools between adjacent tooth assemblies to protect the exposed portions of the work tool edge.
Although installation of the shrouds still leaves gaps between the shrouds and the adjacent tooth assemblies, the gaps are relatively small, preventing the earthen material from impacting any remaining exposed portions of the work tool edge. When a non-standard width work tool (e.g. bucket) is used, however, the width of the best fitting shroud may not be sufficient to cover the entire gap between adjacent tooth assemblies. As a result, earthen materials may still contact the exposed edge of the work tool between the shroud and the adjacent tooth assemblies, causing significant abrasion and wear of the exposed edge. Therefore, it may be necessary to further shield the exposed portions of the edge between the shroud and the adjacent tooth assemblies to protect the exposed edge of the work tool.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0101218 of Serrurier et al., published on Apr. 16, 2015 (“the '218 publication”), discloses an edge protection system consisting of edge protection segments for a ground engaging implement. In particular, the '218 publication discloses an edge protection segment that has a wedge portion and two legs that straddle the edge of a bucket. The wedge portion of the disclosed edge protection segment of the '218 publication abuts against the exposed edge of the bucket. The '218 publication also discloses that each edge protection segment has interlocking projections on one side and interlocking depressions on an opposite side. The '218 publication explains that two or more edge protection segments can be placed side-by-side with mating interlocking projections and depressions to cover a larger portion of the exposed edge between adjacent tooth assemblies on the bucket. The '218 publication further discloses that the edge protection segments are bonded to the implement.
Although the '218 publication discloses an edge protection system, the disclosed edge protection system may still be improved. For example, the edge protection segments of the '218 publication have different widths but the same lengths, making it difficult for the segments to conform to an edge that may not be straight along the width of the implement. Further, because the edge protection segments of the '218 publication are bonded to the implement, they may not be reusable. Further still, because the edge protection segments are bonded to the implement, it may be more difficult to attach or remove the edge protection segments at a work site.
The shroud collar of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.